Essential education reporting across America

Mental Health in Schools

Hands with red-painted fingernails hold a cell phone.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Mental Health in Schools
Tennessee school district sues social media companies over student mental health ‘crisis’
Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools is the state’s first to take Facebook, TikTok, and others to court.
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
A girl in a pink dress holds a card with a boy’s sad face that says “sad.”
From Chalkbeat New York Meeting the Moment
Many schools opted out of a controversial social-emotional assessment. Now NYC is ditching the tool.
Teachers and parents raised concerns about the DESSA, a social-emotional learning tool that schools began using last year.
By Amy Zimmer
 
An image of the ornate facade of the The Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library.
From Chalkbeat New York Mental Health in Schools
OPEN NEWSROOM: Accessing Mental Health Resources in NYC Public Schools
THE CITY and Chalkbeat hosted a session at Brooklyn’s Central Library about how to get appropriate mental health support for kids in NYC public schools.
By Chalkbeat Staff
 
Mother taking her daughter to school. The little girl wears a pink backpack
First Person First Person
I never thought my child would need a school social worker, but I’m so glad she’s in our lives
When Mrs. D first told me she wanted to meet with my daughter, I was filled with wrongheaded ideas about what a school social worker does.
By Fabiola Mejia
 
A 13-year-old boy walks on a sidewalk next to a wooden fence. You can’t see his face. The photo is taken from the back. He is wearing a T-shirt.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Meeting the Moment
How Colorado is filling gaps for its ‘most vulnerable’ children as last-resort schools dwindle
“It’s a huge, complex system, and it’d be naive to think one piece of legislation is going to fix everything,” one state official said.
By Melanie Asmar and Rae Ellen Bichell
 
The shadows of children playing can be seen on the blacktop.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Meeting the Moment
Colorado is pouring more money into schools for kids with behavioral health issues and disabilities
But are they helping?
By Jennifer Brown and Melanie Asmar
 
A dark-haired child is seen from above working on an art project. A half circle and rays depict a sun. The child is coloring a long orange arc.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Meeting the Moment
Students in rural Colorado left without options as specialized schools close
A single facility school serves all of Colorado’s Western Slope, while rural schools struggle to hire skilled staff. Some children have to cross mountain ranges to get an education.
By Rae Ellen Bichell and Helen Santoro
 
An orange sign says “testing in progress, do not disturb” as students work in the background.
From Chalkbeat Indiana First Person
As problem behaviors persist, is state testing making things worse?
We’re preparing young people for the past, and students feel the disconnect.
By Ronak Shah
 
A man and a woman stand in front of the steps of the Michigan capitol in Lansing.
From Chalkbeat Detroit Politics & Policy
Michigan schools would get funding boost under House and Senate budget proposals
The school aid budgets from both chambers would invest more heavily in helping students get back on track academically and mentally.
By Lori Higgins
 
An image of a school bus.
From Chalkbeat New York Mental Health in Schools
NYC schools handcuff and haul away kids in emotional crisis
Despite a pledge to stop relying on police to deal with students who have mental health episodes, New York City schools have continued to call 911 on kids in distress thousands of times a year, an investigation by THE CITY and ProPublica found.
By Abigail Kramer, THE CITY
 
Two young girls hold up a card as they talk during a social-emotional learning lesson. They sit on a grey carpet, and there is a drawing in front of them on pink paper that says “uncomfortable” with a drawing of a person holding their abdomen.
From Chalkbeat New York Mental Health in Schools
Need mental health help for your child? Here’s how to get support in NYC schools
Schools are straining to keep up with counseling demand as mental health woes mount for young people. If your child needs help at school, here’s how to start.
By Amy Zimmer
 
A woman in a beige shirt sits across from young man in a sweater while holding a pen and notepad.
From Chalkbeat Newark Mental Health in Schools
Poorer NJ school districts to get more mental health funding
The state has identified more than 200 school districts as lacking in mental health professionals and where more than 20% of the students receive free or reduced-cost lunches.
By Bobby Brier, NJ Spotlight News
 
An image of the ornate facade of the The Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library.
From Chalkbeat New York Mental Health in Schools
Event: Want to know more about mental health resources in NYC public schools?
Join Chalkbeat and THE CITY’s Open Newsroom on Thursday, May 11, at 6 p.m. at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Central Library for a conversation about school-based mental health support for kids.
By Chalkbeat Staff
 
Eighteen-year-old Fatima Magallon found out that her Las Vegas high school was offering teletherapy. Not long after, Magallon’s grandmother died. Magallon’s grades started dropping, and when a school counselor told the senior she may not graduate on time, she decided to give teletherapy a try. The initial sessions were awkward, Magallon said, but eventually she felt like she could open up.
Mental Health in Schools Mental Health in Schools
Student access to teletherapy skyrockets as schools combat youth mental health crisis
While some educators and parents have been skeptical of the virtual setup, many have since been won over.
By Kalyn Belsha
 
A high school student walks down a dark hallway in a public high school, silhouetted by daylight spilling in and reflecting off of the floor and lockers.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Meeting the Moment
Students facing expulsion would get more protections in Colorado bill
Proposed law would clarify the burden of proof, require training for expulsion officers, and give families two days to review evidence.
By Erica Meltzer
 
Photo shows the 5280 charter school from a corner angle. It appears to be a gray block building with a large glass window. Large numerals 52 are one side and 80 on the other.
From Chalkbeat Colorado Denver Public Schools
‘Hard to get sober young’: Inside one of the country’s few recovery high schools
“They can go on to college or a career and really handle anything that life throws at them.”
By Stephanie Daniel
 
A group of men in business suits
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Gun Violence and Schools
With Nashville school shooting fresh, Tennessee Senate panel defers gun bills until 2024
Proposal to arm teachers is among delayed measures.
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
Addison Goetz, 17, is embraced by her mother Jennifer as they leave Denver’s East High School after a shooting there on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
Mental Health in Schools Mental Health in Schools
After a traumatic event, how can teachers best help students? Here’s a starting point.
If you are an educator or parent looking for information on how to talk to students following community trauma, we have resources for you.
By Chalkbeat Staff
 
Hundreds of high school students stand outside of a school building.
From Chalkbeat New York Diversity & Equity
A proposed staff restructuring sparks student protests, teacher concerns at a Brooklyn charter school network
Administrators said they were working to address inequities in their staffing model, though students and teachers feared the restructure would have the opposite effect.
By Julian Shen-Berro
 
GettyImages_1249910812.jpg
From Chalkbeat Chicago First Person
My students and I talk about gun violence. This week, I was out of words.
Back-to-back shootings, one a block from my Illinois house and another at a Tennessee elementary school, have me wondering how to support future teachers.
By Freesia McKee
 
A woman bends down in front of a row of flower bouquets against a stone wall.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee Gun Violence and Schools
As Nashville reels from school shooting, Tennessee lawmakers consider loosening gun restrictions
A rally at the Capitol: ‘We don’t need a day to mourn. We need a day of action,’ protester says.
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
A teenage girl sits in a door frame, silhouetted by light coming in through the door into a dark hallway behind her.
From Chalkbeat Newark Mental Health in Schools
Suicide prevention training proposed for more New Jersey school personnel
Legislation would require principals, librarians, and other school staffers to get training.
By Bobby Brier, NJ Spotlight News
 
Illustration of guns.
From Chalkbeat Chicago Gun Violence and Schools
Pandemic stress, gangs, and utter fear fueled a rise in teen shootings
The number of children under 18 who killed someone with a firearm jumped from 836 in 2019 to 1,150 in 2020.
By Liz Szabo, Kaiser Health News
 
A woman in round black glasses stands in front of a clear door.
From Chalkbeat New York Meeting the Moment
‘One crisis after another’: NYC teachers reflect on pandemic’s mental health toll 3 years in
The growing crisis has been clear for years to Tina Puccio, who runs the member assistance program at the United Federation of Teachers, which provides short-term counseling to educators.
By Michael Elsen-Rooney
 
A man wearing a suit stands at a podium and speaks into a microphone.
From Chalkbeat Tennessee School safety
Tennessee governor’s safety bill threatens penalties for schools if they don’t lock entrances
State inspections found 527 unlocked doors so far this school year.
By Marta W. Aldrich
 
A teacher points to a piece of pink construction paper that has a stick figure drawing and the word “uncomfortable” on it. The teacher is sitting on the rug. Only her feet and hands are visible.
From Chalkbeat New York Meeting the Moment
Telehealth, suicide prevention, social media guardrails: NYC shares sweeping youth mental health plan
The needs are high as data shows worsening mental health among young people, including more students reporting thoughts of suicide.
By Reema Amin and Amy Zimmer
 
Several students sit at desks in a classroom with large windows.
From Chalkbeat Detroit COVID & Mental Health
Self-love and inner peace: What these Detroit teens say is needed to tackle Michigan’s youth mental health crisis
Writers from youth group Local Circles who surveyed their peers share some sobering stories and messages of hope.
By Lori Higgins
 
Two students are framed by a window decorated with decals. One student wears a blue face mask.
From Chalkbeat Chicago COVID & Mental Health
Gov. J.B. Pritzker releases report on services for youth mental health
A new report from Gov. J.B Pritzker’s Children’s Behavioral Transformation Initiative makes 12 recommendations for how the state can support families and children in need of mental health services.
By Samantha Smylie
 
Students walk down the side walk with a tree and cars on the right side.
From Chalkbeat New York Mental Health in Schools
NY’s budget has $100M for academic and mental health programs. Schools still don’t have the money.
With the majority of the school year now over, school districts haven’t been able to apply for the grant money due to a lengthy bureaucratic process.
By Reema Amin
 
An overhead view of the NY Assembly room with red carpets and rows of yellow chairs
From Chalkbeat New York Meeting the Moment
New York bill seeks to license school psychologists to practice outside classrooms
The bill currently awaiting a hearing in the state assembly would grant school psychologists licenses to offer a limited range of education-related services outside school.
By Michael Elsen-Rooney
 
More Stories
Icon-heart-donate
If you value Chalkbeat, consider making a donation
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to providing the information families and educators need, but this kind of work isn’t possible without your help.
icon-events

Connect with your community

Find upcoming events

Events